Atletico Madrid continue to show an interest in Diego Costa despite Chelsea’s refusal to entertain offers, Goal understands.
The Blues have issued a hands-off warning to the La Liga club as they attempt to retain the services of the 27-year-old, who scored 16 goals last season in all competitions.
But Antonio Conte's men remain in the market for a striker despite already signing Michy Batshuayi from Marseille, with Alvaro Morata and Romelu Lukaku both potential targets this summer.
Costa joined Chelsea from Atleti for a fee of £32 million in 2014, having scored 64 goals in 134 appearances for the Spanish giants.
Diego Simeone's side are launching a concerted effort to acquire their former charge, despite Chelsea's insistence that they will not sell Costa, who has missed a number of training sessions due to a back injury.
Costa is a doubt for his side's opening Premier League game against West Ham on August 15 and will subsequently miss Chelsea's marquee friendly clash with Real Madrid, though Conte insists his problem is only a minor one.
“In the last few days he had a pain in the back and for this reason he didn’t train and didn’t play," Conte said. “When Costa trained with us I have always seen the right attitude but in these days he didn’t train with us."
"It’s important to see the players doing the training session. If I don’t see a player doing the training session I can’t put them in the game. These are my rules and it’s important to understand this."
“My concept is very clear. I want to see my players doing the work in the training session. If someone is injured or there is some problem and I don’t see the player in the training session it is impossible to think of putting him in the starting XI or on the bench."
The 27-year-old's absence leave Batshauyi with a chance to start his first game for the club following his move from Marseille.
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- Goal